1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to an apparatus for collecting and transferring biological fluids. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for collecting and transferring a urine specimen in conjunction with a collection tube.
2. Description of Prior Art
Biological fluids are collected periodically for laboratory analysis. Laboratory equipment that performs the analysis may only accept biological fluids stored in a test tube. However, a test tube is too small for the convenient collection of many biological fluids, such as urine. As a result, specimens often are collected in a fairly large container with a widely open top. After collection of the fluid in the container, the container is delivered to a medical technician. The medical technician then transfers a portion of the fluid into a test tube that is sealed and transported to a laboratory for analysis. The transfer of biological fluid from the collection container to the test tube is an unpleasant task that creates the risk of contaminating the specimen or exposing the medical technician to potentially harmful pathogens in the specimen.
Some biological fluids such as blood are collected with assemblies that include a vacuum tube and a double-ended needle cannula. One end of the needle cannula is placed in communication with the biological fluid. The opposite end of the needle cannula is urged through a vacuum seal into the vacuum tube. Low pressure within the vacuum tube generates a flow of the bodily fluid through the needle cannula and into the tube. Such vacuum tubes are very convenient and efficient for collecting blood samples. However, for urine specimen collection, vacuum tubes are not very useful because vacuum tubes only have a limited shelf life due to a gradual migration of gas molecules through the walls of the tube. Additionally, sharps or pointed cannula require careful shielding to avoid potential skin punctures.
In urine collection, some prior art collection containers have a test tube that is attached. In this prior art device, a portion of the urine specimen in the container is automatically transferred to the test tube. The test tube then may be separated from the container, sealed and shipped to a laboratory for analysis. However, these prior art assemblies can lead to leakage during the initial collection of the specimen or after the separation of the test tube from the collection container. Additionally, control of the volume of the specimen in the test tube may vary from sample to sample. A means for controlling the volume in each specimen sample taken is needed to assure accurate results in the subsequent laboratory analysis. Also, the use of a non-sharp or blunt cannula in the transfer of the specimen from the collection container to the test tube is preferred to avoid potential skin puncturing of the medical technician. Finally, a collection container designed to avoid contact with the user to prevent contamination of the specimen is desired. Prior art assemblies of collection containers can come into contact with the user's hands during collection which contaminate the specimen in the collection container. Finally, there is a need for a collection container to use a non-evacuated vacuum tube to avoid the potential limited shelf life of the vacuum tube.